Photo by: Jill Hamilton
The Morgridge College of Education held an informational reception last Friday to encourage students of color to apply to the school and consider a career in teaching.
The college, which has approximately 850 students and six major graduate programs, emphasizes diversity of the student body as one of the things that makes it unique.
Friday’s reception was also hosted by the Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA).
The BGSA is a campus-wide graduate organization made up of students of color. In addition to giving prospective students information about the different graduate programs, the event also allowed guests to hear first-hand from current students how the college’s commitment to diversity has benefited their education.
The official program began with words of welcome by Gregory Anderson, the dean of the school. This was followed by a panel of students who narrated their personal stories with the school, mediated by Maria Salazar, an assistant professor of curriculum and instruction at Morgridge. After the program was over, perspective students could get more program-specific information at different designated tables.
Although the event was called “The Students of Color Reception,” it was open to any DU student, staff member, alumnus or prospective student.
“The most particular area of interest for this event is that you would want to pursue an advanced degree in education, but there is an intent commitment to increase our enrollment numbers as it reflects students of color,” said Chayla Haynes, a second year PhD student at Morgridge who also works in the office of admission.
Each year the college tries to obtain students from a variety of different backgrounds to simulate a “real world” experience in the classroom.
“The world we live in is not homogenous,” said Haynes. “I am being prepared to address, report and respond to educational issues within a diverse global landscape.”
The college’s goal for diversity comes straight from it’s aims to “prepare highly competent, socially responsible, ethical and caring professionals to promote learning in diverse settings,” according to its mission statement.
“One of the goals in educating librarians is to understand that people from different backgrounds have different information to share,” said Krystyna Matusiak, a professor in the library science department, located in Morgridge.
The college also looks at different forms of diversity when choosing its students.
“Inclusive excellence is not limited to compositional diversity,” said Haynes. “It is also inclusive of nationality, gender and sexual orientation. I think that’s what makes DU unique. Inclusive excellence is not just part of the recruitment plan, but it is also part of the academic landscape, conversations on campus and DU’s business practices.”
When admitting students to the college, admissions officers do take into account a student’s race and background because it helps create a more diverse environment. However, it is not the single most important aspect of admissions.
“We handle admissions holistically,” said Jodi Dye, admissions counselor and interim director for Morgridge. “We take into account the entire student regardless of race, ethnicity, gender and social rank.”
Students of the Morgridge school said they really appreciate the diverse environment the school offers.
“The diversity was what drew me to DU in the first place,” said Floyd Cobb, a PhD student in curriculum and instruction who was a member of the panel. “I have never felt like a minority, and I have realized that this is a place where my voice will always be heard.”
In addition to having a diverse community, students also learn how to maintain diversity in other places.
“One of the things I was really attracted to was the opportunity to be a part of inclusive excellence initiatives across the campus,” said Star Luceno, another panel member and a Masters student in higher education.
This was the second year Morgridge held the Students of Color Reception, and they plan to continue it next year.
“This reception is more than just an information session,” said Haynes. “It is definitely something that binds the community together, because everyone cares so much about diversity.
